Santa Cruz de Tenerife Implements New DGT Controls for Road Safety

The Local Police of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is once again participating in the campaign organised by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), which commenced last Monday and will continue until the following Sunday, the 25th. This initiative has established traffic checks throughout the municipality to identify alcohol and drug use among drivers. According to DGT statistics, alcohol accounts for a third of fatal road accidents in Spain, as stated by the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez.

In her remarks, Gladis de León, the Councillor for Safety, emphasises that “considering the primary objectives and arguments of the campaign in collaboration with the DGT, the only secure limit is 0.0%. Reliable data indicates that alcohol and drug consumption correlates with increased accident rates.” She further adds, “Furthermore, it is evident that their presence while driving, based on their levels, heightens the risk of accidents by a factor of between 2 and 15, while also exacerbating fatality rates and the severity of injuries in the event of a road accident.”

Consequently, the General Directorate of Traffic also underscores that “the use of drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines remains a frequent and significantly hazardous behaviour among drivers.”

As in previous initiatives, the Traffic Civil Guard will oversee checks on interurban routes, “while within urban areas, specifically in our municipality, these will be conducted by the Local Police, who are equipped with tools to detect alcohol and/or drugs,” recalls the mayor of the capital. De León also emphasises “the educational role that officers will fulfil, informing drivers about the detrimental impacts of consuming alcohol or drugs, even in minor quantities, as it diminishes driving competence.”